Make more space available in iCloud

Before you delete anything, you might want to archive or make copies of the information you store in iCloud.

Backups

When you back up your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to iCloud, the most important information on your device is backed up automatically. Backups include your documents, photos, and videos. Learn more about what iCloud backs up.

Use these steps to manage how much storage you use.

Select which iOS apps to back up

Many apps automatically back up to iCloud after you install them. You can change which apps back up to iCloud and remove existing backups from your storage. Use these steps on your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

iOS 10.3 or later:

Tap the name of the device you are using [i.e. (Device-name) This (device type)].

Tap Delete Backup > Turn Off & Delete.

iOS 10.2 or earlier:

Go to Settings > General > Storage & iCloud Usage.

Under iCloud, tap Manage Storage.

Tap the name of the device you are using [i.e. (Device-name) This (device type)].

Tap Delete Backup > Turn Off & Delete.

When you delete a backup, it also turns off iCloud Backup of your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch.

MAC

Go to Apple menu > System Preferences, then click iCloud.

Click Manage and select Backups.

Select one of the device backups, then click Delete. If you want to turn off Backup and remove all backups for that device from iCloud, choose Delete when you're asked to confirm.

When you delete a backup, it also turns off backup of your device.

WINDOWS 7, WINDOWS 8, AND WINDOWS 10

Open iCloud for Windows.

Click Storage.

Select Backup from the items listed.

Select one of the device backups, then click Delete. If you want to turn off Backup and remove all backups for that device from iCloud, choose Delete when you're asked to confirm. When you delete a backup, it also turns off backup of your device.

iCloud backups are available for 180 days after you disable or stop using iCloud Backup.

Reduce the size of your iCloud Photo Library

iCloud Photo Library uses your iCloud storage to keep all of your photos and videos up to date across your devices. You can make more space in iCloud when you delete photos and videos that you no longer need from the Photos app on any of your devices.

You can also choose to save space on your device when you turn on Optimize device Storage in Settings. With Optimize Storage on, Photos will automatically free up space when you need it by replacing original photos and videos with device-sized versions. All of your original, full-resolution photos and videos are safe in iCloud and you can download them at any time. Learn more about managing your photo and video storage.

You can recover photos and videos that you delete from your Recently Deleted album for 30 days. If you want to remove content from your Recently Deleted album faster, tap Select, then select the items you want to remove. Tap Delete > Delete. If you exceed your iCloud storage limit, your device immediately removes any photos and videos you delete and they won't be available for recovery in your Recently Deleted album.

Use these steps to delete photos and videos from your iCloud Photo Library.

IPHONE, IPAD, OR IPOD TOUCH

Open the Photos app, then tap Photos at the bottom of your screen.

Tap Select, and choose one or more photos or videos that you want to delete.

To reduce the size of your Photo Library backup, save your photos and videos to your computer, then manually back up your iOS device. If you want to keep your photos and videos on your iOS device, you can turn off Photo Library in Backup or buy more storage. If there are any photos that you don't want to keep, you can delete them. Open Photos and select the item that you want to delete. Then click the bin icon and tap Delete Photo.

iCloud Drive

You can manage and delete files you store in iCloud Drive from your iPhone, iPad, iPod touch, Mac, or Windows PC.

With iOS 11 or later, files that you delete from iCloud Drive remain in Recently Deleted for 30 days before they are removed from your device.

IPHONE, IPAD, OR IPOD TOUCH

You can use these steps to manage your files from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch:

iOS 11 or later:

Go to the Files app and tap Browse.

Under Locations, tap iCloud Drive > Select.

Choose the files that you want to delete, then tap .

Go to Locations > Recently Deleted > Select.

Choose the files that you want to delete.

Tap Delete.

iOS 10.3 or earlier:

Go to the iCloud Drive app.

Tap Select.

Choose the files that you want to delete.

Tap Delete > Delete from iCloud Drive.

MAC

On a Mac with macOS High Sierra or later, you can manage your iCloud Drive files from the iCloud Drive folder in Finder:

If you need to, turn on iCloud Drive on your Mac:

Go to Apple menu > System Preferences and click iCloud.

Sign in with your Apple ID.

Turn on iCloud Drive. In Options, make sure that you select the apps or folders for the files you want to manage.

Open Finder and go to the iCloud Drive folder.

Drag an item to the Trash, or move it to a different folder on your Mac.

Open Trash, then right-click the files that you want to delete.

Choose Delete Immediately.

WINDOWS

On a PC with Windows 7 or later, you can manage your iCloud Drive files using Windows Explorer. Use these steps to add an iCloud Drive folder to Windows Explorer:

Mail

You can free up iCloud storage space when you delete email messages from your iCloud email account. You can also move email messages from your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch to your Mac or PC, where they no longer count against your iCloud storage.

Use the steps below to delete messages from your account. Remember that messages with large attachments take up more space than simple text emails.

IPHONE, IPAD, OR IPOD TOUCH

If your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch is set up to access iCloud email, you can delete messages from any mailbox, then empty the Trash to free up space:

Swipe left across any message to delete it.

Tap your Trash folder.

Delete messages one at a time or delete all of them by tapping Edit, then tapping Delete All.

MAC OR WINDOWS PC

If you use iCloud Mail with a desktop email app, such as Mail on your Mac or Microsoft Outlook on your PC, use these steps:

Mail on your Mac: Delete the messages that you no longer want, then choose Mailbox > Erase Deleted Items and select your iCloud email account from the menu.

Microsoft Outlook 2007 (Windows): Delete the messages that you no longer want, then choose Edit > Purge and select your Apple ID from the menu.

Microsoft Outlook 2010 through Outlook 2016 (Windows): Delete the messages that you no longer want. Outlook will permanently delete your messages the next time you close and restart the app.